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US. Outdoor Drama
Fall 1990
Newsletter of The Institute of Outdoor Drama/University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Inside this
issue...
Commentary: Outdoor theatre
companies must begin to ad-
dress the issue of competitive
employee benefits. (Page 2)
Insurance: How can small
companies cope with the rising
costs of insurance? (Page 2)
The Travel Industry is stalled for
the second summer in a row. Is
the worst to come? (Page 3)
This year�?Ts An-
nual Outdoor
Drama Confer-
ence offers a
variety of tours,
panels and pro-
grams, including
a conceptual presentation of The
Reach of Song. (Pages 7, 8)
UPCOMING EVENTS
The Travel Industry Association
of America�?Ts 1990 National
Conference will be held in Pitts-
burgh, October 15-18. Contact
TIA at 202-293-1433.
The Travel Council of North
Carolina will host its Annual
Conference in High Point,
November 1-3. Contact TCNC
at 919-787-5181.
The North Carolina Theatre
Conference is scheduled to hold
its annual meeting in Charlotte,
November 1-4. For further infor-
mation, call the NCTC at 919-
833-0220.
The New England Theatre Con-
ference will hold its 39th Annual
Convention in Portland, Maine,
November 2-4. For information,
contact NETC at 617-893-3120.
Conference to feature inside look
The 28th Annual Managers,
Directors and Promoters Con-
ference on Outdoor Drama
(Cherokee, NC, October 5-7,
1990) will offer participants a
special opportunity.
�?oThis Conference will be a
departure from many of those in
the past because it will give us an
opportunity to explore the
excellent facilities and operations
of one of the true benchmarks in
American Outdoor Historical
Drama, Kermit Hunter�?Ts Unto
These Hills,�?� says Scott Parker,
newly-appointed director of the
Institute of Outdoor Drama of
electrical wiring. During the
1987 and 1988 seasons, CHA
refurbished the theatre�?Ts back-
stage for an estimated $340,000.
As part of the new look, the
theatre opened its 38th season in
1987 with a new $130,000 en-
trance, a handsome native stone
facade that replaced the time-
worn log stockade.
The centerpiece of the
project, the Association�?Ts new
administration building, was
completed in 1986. The modern,
$627,000 structure houses all
administrative offices, as well as
permanent exhibits recounting
the University of North Caro-
lina at Chapel Hill.
�?oNot only will we look
closely at the facilities,�?� said
Parker, �?owe will learn about the
Cherokee culture, hear from
area leaders and visit local attrac-
tions to understand the unique
relationship which exists be-
tween the drama and the com-
munity as a whole. But the star
One of many eagle dancers in
Kermit Hunter�?Ts Unto These
Hillls (Cherokee, NC), site of
_ this year�?Ts Annual Conference.
physical plant.�?�
During the mid-1980s, the
Cherokee Historical Association
spent $243,000 renovating the
then-35-year-old Mountainside
_ Theatre, installing new seats,
the history of the organization.
�?oTt�?Ts a remarkable facility,�?�
said Parker, �?obuilt and main-
tained with high standards and
impeccable taste. We�?Tre very
grateful to the Association and
its staff for hosting this year�?Ts
Conference and allowing us to
get an insider�?Ts view of their
fine operation.�?� |_|
See page 7 for a complete
of the Conference will be the
cross aisles, trails, ramps and
schedule of Conference events.
Insurance companies have become pickier about
whom they�?Tll insure, according to The News and
Observer (Raleigh, NC). Small businesses are
being hit particularly hard, but even larger
employers are finding that their premiums are
escalating. (See related stories on page 2.)
The insurance industry has recommended
the establishment of a reinsurance pool which
would finance health coverage for any small em-
ployer (fewer than 25 employees) unable to ob-
tain it. The concept was approved by the Health
Insurance Association of America last month,
but legislation must be passed by Congress.
However, this proposal would do little to
address the problem of the rising premiums.
According to a survey conducted earlier this
year by National Small Business United, a
Washington-based group, insurance rates in-
creased between 16 and 35 percent this year
Health insurance package aids small companies
over last for 38 percent of the businesses polled.
The Wall Street Journal reports that in
Virginia, Washington, and Florida, new laws
permit experimental, limited coverage for small
companies that don�?Tt already offer health
benefits. Similar plans are cropping up in Okla-
homa and California, two states which recently
started offering small groups bare-bones, lower-
cost insurance policies. These laws exempt the
bare-bones small-group policies from state
mandates to cover certain medical treatments.
The insurers can instead offer coverage only for
hospitalization and basic physician�?Ts care.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Virginia will
begin marketing its basic health plan soon. The
plan is expected to cost eligible small employers
about $80 a month per worker, compared with
an average (for all carriers in the state) of about
$130 monthly per employee. (1
U.S. Outdoor Drama
Employee benefits...
The story goes that when Dame Edith
Evans was introduced to Billy Graham, the
evangelist told her, �?oWe in the ministry
could learn a good deal from you about how
to put our message across.�?�
�?oYou in the ministry have an advantage
over us,�?� replied Dame Edith. �?oYou have
long-term contracts.�?� Sometimes a little
chuckle goes right to the heart of the matter.
Recently, the Institute put together the
program for the upcoming outdoor drama
conference to be held in Cherokee, North
Carolina. One of the panels will deal with seasonal and year-
round employee benefits. �?~The panel will offer suggestions on
how dramas can improve such benefits, with particular empha-
sis on health insurance, and what might be done to address the
skyrocketing premiums demanded by insurance companies.
In talking with a number of theatre managers during the
process of putting this panel together, it became evident that
there is a more pressing problem than runaway insurance rates.
Many outdoor companies fail to offer their employees any
health insurance coverage at all, or other benefits much beyond
vacation and sick leave. This is a sad state of affairs and, to
borrow from Arthur Miller, �?oAttention must be paid.�?�
With few exceptions, outdoor dramas are chartered as
simple nonprofit corporations. However, they demand complex
management skills and expertise in professional theatre, travel
and tourism, the employment and personnel management of
union members, seasoned professionals and community volun-
teers whose motivations are fed by passions money can�?Tt touch.
We�?Tre not selling washing machines here. Successful manage-
ment of such a highly collaborative art form calls for a unique
talent and, when done well, requires adequate compensation.
In most not-for-profit organizations, employee benefits are
determined by the board of directors. Typically, these boards
are composed of caring, dedicated and enlightened individuals
who want to attract and hold on to professional managers,
promoters, clerical and maintenance staffs to run their dramas
according to the highest standards of business practice. It�?Ts time
they consider offering employee benefits competitive with
those of mainstream America.
COMMENTARY
"ii
Scott J. Parker
U.S. Outdoor Drama
Published quarterly by the Institute
of Outdoor Drama, an advisory and
research agency of the University of
North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Scott J. Parker Judy Via
Director Editor
G
The subscription price is $12 per year. News items and features of in-
terest with supporting photographs are welcome.
The Institute of Outdoor Drama, University of North Carolina, CB
3240 NCNB Plaza, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3240; 919-962-1328.
Customized theatre
liability insurance
The Atlanta Theatre Coalition,
which represents 40 performing
arts groups, sought the help of
Broadway insurance broker
Robert A. Boyar to aid member
theatres in securing adequate
liability coverage at affordable
rates.
The Atlanta theatres�?T liability
insurance expenditures equaled
10 percent of each play�?Ts produc-
tion budget, while Broadway
producers typically pay two to
three percent. When ATC asked
why, they discovered what many
outdoor theatre companies
already know: local insurance
agents, unfamiliar with the
unique risks of theatre, lump
their theatrical clients in with all
the rest. Theatre producers in
the Big Apple work with special-
ized agents and companies who
are well aware of the liability
requirements of the theatrical
entertainment industry.
In April of 1989, at the
request of the ATC, Mr. Boyar
held a seminar in Atlanta explor-
ing the need for a specialized
insurance package for small
theatre companies. Eight
months later, the ATC decided
to go with the Boyar package as
part of a pilot program and in
February of this year the pack-
age became available throughout
the United States.
According to Insurance Review
(April, 1990), the basic insurance
package includes personal and
business property coverage, as
well as general liability. Addi-
tional coverage, including work-
ers�?T compensation, boiler and
machinery, fidelity bond cover-
age, automobile (business-owned
and personal) and even more
exotic coverages such as �?~star
nonappearance�?T insurance, may
be added. Each package is cus-
tomized to the needs of a spe-
cific theatre company and can
provide coverage limits from $1
to $2 million.
Insurer for the package is
The Gulf Insurance Company of
Dallas, licensed in all 50 states.
The program is administered
through American National
General Agency in New York
and California. Pamela McClure
is the Executive Director of the
Atlanta Theatre Coalition. 1
Insurance Institute offers
help for non-profits
The newly-formed Nonprofits�?T
Risk Management and Insurance
Institute, headed by former
university professor Charles
�?~Iremper, is dedicated to assist-
ing nonprofits and volunteers
with their legal liability and
insurance obligations. The
Washington, DC office will: 1)
foster arrangements that enable
nonprofits to obtain adequate
insurance of all types; 2) develop
and promote effective risk-man-
agement procedures; and 3) rep-
resent the interests of the non-
profit sector in these matters.
The Institute�?Ts first services
will include operating a risk
management resources clearing-
house, producing training and
reference materials, and provid-
ing technical assistance to non-
profits working collectively to
satisfy their insurance needs.
In the future, the Institute
also plans to conduct research to
improve nonprofits�?T loss-preven-
tion practices, propose modifica-
tions of tort and insurance law,
and work with the insurance
industry to tailor programs and
practices for the special needs of
nonprofits and volunteers.
�?~Tremper, who recently
authored a booklet called The
Nonprofit Board�?Ts Role in Risk
Management, is a former Visiting
Fellow of Yale University�?Ts
Program on Nonprofit Organi-
zations and has served on the
faculties of the George Wash-
ington University National Law
Center and the University of
Nebraska Law College.
�?~The Nonprofits�?T Risk Man-
agement Institute is located at
1731 Connecticut Avenue, NW,
Suite 300, Washington, DC
20009; 202-462-8190. C1)
Kliegel Bros.
reorganizes
Kliegel Bros., a theatrical light-
ing, design, and supply company,
filed for protection against
creditors under Chapter 11 of
the U.S. bankruptcy laws in
Eastern district court on June 4.
�?~The company continues to
operate while it reorganizes with
new management and additional
capital.
Joe McChristian, newly-
elected president and chief
executive officer, sees cash flow
as Kliegel�?Ts immediate problem,
saying that $250,000 is the
maximum needed to alleviate the
current difficulties.
Long-term administrative
changes have been made, with
several new executives coming
on board. John Kliegel will serve
for a minimum of five years as
advisor to McChristian. Ambi-
tious changes in product lines, as
well as manufacturing tech-
niques, are planned in the hope
of making Kliegel more com-
petitive in the marketplace. (1
Adirondack opens
new facility
Adirondack Scenic, Inc., with
offices in South Glen Falls, NY
and Jupiter, FL, now has a third
facility in High Point, NC. The
new 30,000 sq. ft. outlet offers
discount theatrical supplies,
custom commercial drapery fab-
rication and installation, lighting
equipment rental and sales, and
custom scenery manufacturing
that includes motorized units.
For information contact: Adi-
rondack Scenic, Inc., 420 Fraley
Road, High Point, NC 27260;
1-800-525-0159.
Showcase
¢ Kasy Computer Systems
announces the release of Theatre
Reservations System Box Office
Manager, version 4.0. The
system allows advance reserva-
tions for up to 12 venues or pro-
ductions each with multiple
performances, dates and times.
As many as 100 workstations
may be linked and each station
may be used as a point of sale lo-
cation with full ticket printing
capabilities. Installations pres-
ently in operation include South-
west Missouri State University
(five venues), The Mickey Gilley
Family Theatre, The Mel Tillis
Theatre, and The Roy Clark
Celebrity Theatre. Contact:
Easy Computer Systems, P.O.
Box AA, Branson, MO 65616.
¢ The Explorer, a 1,200w HMI
long-throw followspot for throw
distances up to 300 feet, is
available from Altman Stage
Lighting Co., Inc. (57 Alexander
Street, Yonkers, NY 10701; 212-
569-7777). The Explorer can be
operated off a conventional 15
amp Edison power outlet. The
stand included with the unit is a
new design that allows the oper-
ator to adjust the unit�?Ts height by
means of a screwfeed crank.
¢ JEM Theatrical Supplies and
Special Effects Co., Ltd. offers
The Roadie, a high powered
fog generator that produces
approximately 500,000 cubic feet
of fog in about four minutes.
Designed for large theatres,
U.S. Outdoor Drama 3
stages, and arenas, The Roadie
is available from JEM at: Vale
Road Industrial States, Boston
Road, Spilsby, Lincolnshire,
PE23 SHE, United Kingdom.
¢ Uncommon Conglomerates,
Inc. (287 E. 6th Street, St. Paul,
MN 55101; 1-800-323-4545)
introduces Fresh Again Shoe
and Athletic Spray. It instantly
eliminates all odors caused by
foot perspiration, prevents
rotting of material, and keeps
leather products soft and flex-
ible. $6.00 for 8 oz. bottle; $48
per gallon.
TRAVEL c�?T TOURISM
�?oRide With Me�?� tapes, designed for families traveling with
young children, offer history, folklore, interviews with local
residents, quizzes, games and music. The cassettes are synchro-
nized to landmarks, enabling travelers to see what is being dis-
cussed regardless of the speed of the car. Milepost markers and
landmarks are used to signal motorists to start each segment.
The brainchild of Robert W. Magee, tapes are currently available
for I-95 (southbound from Boston to Orlando) and I-10 (east-
bound through Texas). A series for I-80 is being completed. The
tapes ($9.95 each; $106.80 for the 12-cassette series) may be or-
dered from: RWM Enterprises, Bethesda, MD; 1-800-752-3195.
Travel industry stalled again this summer
�?~Discretionary travel is the first to go when the economy gets shaky.�?T
The U.S. travel and tourism industry has expe-
rienced a slow summer for the second year in a
row, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Nearly every sector of domestic leisure travel
reported that business was flat or down 5 to 10
percent from last year, and that has experts pre-
dicting the $320-billion-a-year industry may be
headed for a prolonged slump.
The New York Times went further, stating
that the industry had its toughest summer in
more than a decade, noting that travel officials
see the decline in tourism as an early warning of
economic troubles.
�?oJust about nobody is doing very well,�?� said
James Cammisa, publisher of Travel Industry In-
dicators, a Miami-based newsletter. �?oDiscretion-
ary travel is the first to go when the economy
gets shaky.�?�
Along with the unstable economy, recent
increases in already high airline fares, and sharp
hikes in gas prices following the Iraqi invasion
of Kuwait, have compounded the travel
industry�?Ts woes.
The Midwest and Rocky Mountain states
provide the main exception to the trend. State
officials report that leisure travel this year is up
7 percent in Illinois, 5 percent in Missouri, and
12 percent in Idaho. Midwest officials attribute
their success to prices that are lower than on
the two coasts, more aggressive promotion and
the relatively stable condition of the Midwest-
ern economy.
But elsewhere the story was mostly nega-
tive. In Washington, DC, the Smithsonian
Institution�?Ts Air and Space Museum reported
100,000 fewer visitors in June compared with
last year. The number of visitors to San Diego�?Ts
Sea World was down about 10 percent, and
visits from out of state were off more than 25
percent at Universal Studios in Hollywood.
In North Carolina, tourism on the coast
was reported to be flat or down, but travel to
the mountains has increased significantly over
last year. (_]
4 U.S. Outdoor Drama
There are more than 75 outdoor historical drama companies in 30 states,
from Kodiak Island, Alaska, to St. Augustine, Florida. For a complete
listing, send $3 and a self-addressed, stamped envelope to: The Institute
of Outdoor Drama, CB 3240, NCNB Plaza, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3240.
@ Anasazi: The Ancient Ones
(Farmington, NM) held a Local
Audience Appreciation Night
recently and the drama played to
standing room only capacity in
the 635-seat amphitheatre,
according to Becky Walling,
Director of the Farmington
Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Construction of the new build-
ing, which includes a kitchen,
patio dining facility, restrooms,
and a souvenir shop, was com-
pleted just in time for opening
night. The barbeque dinner,
served on the partially-enclosed
400-seat patio, has been ex-
tremely popular, says Walling.
@ The Great Passion Play
(Eureka Springs, AR) reported
an increase in the number of
families attending the play
during August, as well as an
increase in bus tours, and Public
Relations Director Marvin
Peterson predicts a high turnout
U.S. Outdoor Drama
for both September and Octo-
ber. The passion play runs a
26-week season, with 130 per-
formances between May and
October.
@ The Hill Cumorah Pageant
(Palmyra, NY) ended its week-
long summer season on July 21
with a total attendance of 85,000
people. Average nightly atten-
dance at the admission-free
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-
Day Saints production was
10,000, according to Elder Bay,
Director of Historical Sites.
�?oWe installed all new seating
this year,�?� noted Bay, �?oreplacing
the concrete benches with 5,000
chairs. We plan to add 2,500
more chairs next year. Our total
seating capacity for the am-
phitheatre is 20,000 and many
audience members bring blan-
kets and sit on the grass.�?�
This year�?Ts production fea-
tured a costumed cast of 600 and
A portion of the massive set which stretches 500 feet across the stage
of The Great Passion Play in Eureka Springs, AR.
elaborate special effects, includ-
ing a brilliant electrical storm,
Bay said.
@ The Jenny Wiley Story
(Prestonsburg, KY) this season
premiered a new musical score
by Richard Oberacker, and
authentic Indian costumes
newly-designed for the season by |
�?~Tonya Hively, according to
General Manager �?~Tedi Vaughn.
Also new this year to the 26-
year-old drama is director Jim
Ligon.
@ lwo weeks before the close of
The Lost Colony�?Ts 50th season
at Manteo, NC, attendance was
up 22 percent over last year,
according to Public Relations
Director Barbara Leary, in spite
of a reported slowdown in tour-
ism along the Outer Banks this
summer.
@ James Burns, General Man-
ager of The Louisiana Passion
Play at Calhoun, hopes to end
the season with significant gains
in attendance over last year. �?oOf
course, last year was so bad, that
wouldn�?Tt be hard,�?� he joked.
�?oWe were rained out six times,
and the threat of rain another
four or five afternoons scared
audiences away. So far this year,
we've not had a single rainout,�?�
he noted in mid-August. �?oWe�?Tre
keeping our fingers crossed.�?�
In other news, the The Lou-
isiana Passion Play will be moving
to a new, permanent am-
phitheatre next season. Con-
struction on the 35-acre site, 8
miles west of the present loca-
A ritual scene
from the court
of King Lamoni
in the Hill
Cumorah
Pageant
(Palmyra, NY).
tion, is currently underway. A
scaled-down, 6-week season is
planned for 1991, and Burns
hopes the July opening date will
allow them a little extra time
before opening night.
@ At the Oregon Shakespeare
Festival in Ashland, attendance
for the season through mid-
August stood at 91 percent of
capacity, with the week of Au-
gust 6 ending at 103 percent,
including standing room ticket
sales, according to Media and
Publicity Coordinator, Deborah
Elliott.
On August 20 the Festival
held its 1990 Aids Benefit,
named �?oThe Daedulus Project,�?�
in the 1,300-seat outdoor the-
atre. The 1989 benefit raised
over $21,000, said Elliott. The
three-hour show features musi-
cal and dance numbers, dramatic
readings and this year, for the
first time, was signed for the |
hearing-impaired, she noted.
�?oThe highlight of the eve- |
ning was the �?oThird Annual Hat
Parade,�?� in which members of
the festival company design,
construct and model their own
hats,�?� explained Elliott. �?oAudi-
ence members vote, by means of
monetary contributions, for the
�?~best of show�?T entry, and the
event is always a crowd-pleaser,�?�
Elliott commented.
@ Producer/playwright �?~Tom
DeTitta reported that at the
close of the 1990 season on July
28, attendance at The Reach of
Song (Hiawassee, GA) was up
by 39 percent and revenue was
doubled over last year. �?oNearly
17,000 people saw the show this
summer, compared with some
12,000 in 1989,�?� says DeTitta,
making it one of a handful of
outdoor dramas which have
done better in their second year
than they did in their first.
of Snow Camp earlier in the
season. Che company was hard
to miss, traveling down the
highway in their new, 12-passen-
ger, rainbow-colored van, which
sports The Sword of Peace logo.
The van was a contribution from
the Alamance County Arts
Council.
to sell tickets and concessions.
�?oGood theatre makes you
forget it�?Ts an illusion,�?� says
Festival founder Fred C. Adams.
�?oWe think our productions are
appreciated even more if audi-
ences can see the processes
involved in creating that illu-
sion.�?�
U.S. Outdoor Drama 5
end of the summer, we could be
up as much as 7 to 10 percent
over last year,�?� Whalley says.
�?oOne tour bus company has
already made reservations for
| June, 1991.�?�
The play, now in its third
season, features a large cast of
non-human actors, including 12
@ The Stephen Foster Story at
Bardstown, KY, reached another
milestone in its history on Au-
dozen sheep, two Arabian
horses, a donkey named Jack,
who, says Whalley, �?ohas a speak-
@ Worthy Is the Lamb (Swans-
boro, NC) reported a mid-
@ Ray Raillard, Acting General
Manager of Texas at Canyon,
gust 14, 1990. �?~That was the date
of the 2,500th performance of
the drama, says Public Relations
Director �?~Terah Gill. The 1990
season saw additional renovation
to the �?oGlendy Burk,�?� the 20-
year-old paddlewheel steamboat
which takes center stage in the
play. She received all new trim
this year. General Manager Bert |
Ballard admits that the boat has
survived the trials and tribula-
tions of a career in outdoor |
drama remarkably well, pointing
out that �?oshe�?Ts been with the |
production almost as long as I
have.�?�
@ [n central North Carolina,
General Manager James Wilson
said attendance at The Sword
of Peace (Snow Camp) was up
about 17 percent as of mid-
August. This year�?Ts touring
production of Pinnochio was
presented in nine communities
within a one hundred mile radius
reported that, as of August 9,
attendance for the drama stood
at 87,111 for 50 performances of
a 62-performance season. That
averages out to 1,742 people per
night thus far, which, Raillard
quickly points out, �?ois exactly the
number of seats in the am-
phitheatre!�?� With a waiting list
for every performance, the
season�?Ts supply of 25,000 souve-
nir programs is nearly gone.
�?oWe've started rationing,�?� says
Raillard.
@ Backstage tours of the Utah
Shakespearean Festival in
Cedar City, conducted by actors
and technicians, allow audiences
to see production areas and to
discover why every performer on
stage requires the support of
eight technical staff to build
costumes, scenery and proper-
ties, to manipulate lights and
sound, to �?ochangeover�?� from
one production to the next, and
Cast members in Paul Green�?Ts The Stephen Foster Story (Bardstown,
KY) sing in front of the �?oGlendy Burk,�?� a 20-year-old paddlewheel steam-
boat, prior to her recent renovations.
August increase of about 3 per-
cent over last year at this time,
says Business Manager Bernie
Whalley. �?oAdvance reservations
and inquiries are up, so by the
ing part whenever he feels like
it,�?� and two dromedary camels,
Susie, aged 10 years, and
Sampson, aged one and a half
years. L]
Actor John D. Shearin III has
succeeded Edgar R. Loessin as
chairman of the Department of
Theatre Arts at East Carolina
University in Greenville, North
Carolina. He will also be the
producer and director of the
East Carolina Summer Theatre.
Shearin is a native North
Carolinian whose father, John
D. Shearin, Jr., appeared in the
original cast of Unto These Hills.
His mother worked in the public
relations department of The Lost
Colony and wore the grass skirt of
an Indian dancer in the Manteo,
NC drama.
During his college days at
William and Mary at Wil-
liamsburg, Virginia, Shearin was
active in another Paul Green
outdoor drama, 7he Common
Glory. He assumes his post at
ECU after a 20-year career as
actor/director/producer for
stage, film and television in New
York and Los Angeles.
Bernie Whalley, Business
Manager at the Swansboro, NC
passion play, Worthy Is the Lamb,
has announced his resignation,
due to budgetary constraints
within the company, effective
_ August 31, 1990. Whalley, who
has been with the company for
more than two years, is a
resident of Emerald Isle, NC,
and is retired from Sears retail
management.
Playwright and composer Billy
Edd Wheeler�?Ts life, songs,
poetry and plays are the subject
of a new musical play entitled,
�?oWings Over Appalachia,�?�
which opened July 31, 1990 for a
seven-week run at the Cumber-
land County Playhouse in
Crossville, Tennessee. The pro-
duction was conceived and
adapted for the stage by Jim
Crabtree, producing director of
the Playhouse, in close collabo-
ration with Wheeler and Dennis
Davenport, Playhouse musical
director. The show, produced
and directed by Crabtree,
includes new works by Wheeler
not yet published or recorded,
with additional music by
Davenport.
Wheeler�?Ts outdoor drama
credits include Young Abe Lincoln
(Lincoln City, IN), for which he
wrote the script, music, and
lyrics, and Hatfields and McCoys
(Beckley, WV). Wheeler is also
founder and director of the
�?oGreat Smokies Song Chase,�?� a
camp for songwriters held each
summer on the campus of
Warren Wilson College at
Swannanoa, North Carolina. 1
6 U.S. Outdoor Drama
e¢ Publications of interest
The National Guide to Funding
in Arts and Culture features
current information on more
than 3,300 foundations and
corporate direct giving pro-
grams, a bibliography on sources
for further research on arts and
philanthropy, and a listing of
state and regional foundation
directories. This new volume is
available for $105 from: The
Foundation Center, 79 Fifth
Avenue, Department TQ, New
York, NY 10003; 1-800-424-
9836.
Burrelle�?Ts Media Directory
series offers complete, up-to-
date information and contact
names for thousands of newspa-
pers, regional and trade maga-
zines, radio stations, tv stations,
college publications, and wire
services. 1989 directories are
available for New Jersey, New
York, Chicago, Washington,
DC, New England, Pennsylva-
nia, and special markets. Prices
range from $80 to $95. For
information, write: Burrelle�?Ts
Media Directories, 75 East
Northfield Road, Livingston,
NJ 07039.
Burrelle also offers MediaLabels,
customized mailing labels
generated by a computerized
database containing the names of
160,000 professionals at over
40,000 media outlets across the
country.
For more information, con-
tact Burrelle�?Ts MediaLabels De-
partment at 1-800-631-1160. 1
IRS: non-profit
restaurant
income exempt
A 501(c) (3) that runs a historical
theme park in a remote town is
subject to Unrelated Business
Income Tax (UBIT) on income
from operating a grocery store
and hotel, but not on income
from operating restaurants
during normal park hours,
according to the Internal
Revenue Service.
The IRS held that the non-
profit�?Ts operation of restaurants
during normal park hours is
related to the group�?Ts exempt
purposes because the restaurants
enable park visitors to devote a
greater amount of their time and
attention to the park�?Ts educa-
tional exhibits and activities. (]
When man gets indoors, he can take
delight in himself and his world and
| play his quips and fancies because he is
not overawed by any monstrous
power, because he has created his own
environment. Indoors man�?Ts pretty
safe, for he�?Ts not conscious of death.
But outdoors, he feels the
tremendous power of nature, the
lightning, the thunder, and the reach
of the earth and the sky and the sea.
Outdoors, he becomes conscious that he
is related to something that requires a
certam attitude of awe.
PAUL GREEN
Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright,
author of 18 outdoor dramas, and
recognized as the originator of the
American Outdoor Historical
Drama movement.
) NEWS
lOD Administrative
Board gains member
William P. Massey,
associate vice chan-
cellor for university
relations for the
University of North
Carolina at Chapel
Hill, is the newest
member of the
Institute�?Ts Adminis-
trative Board. The
board, composed of
seven individuals
from various academic and administrative
departments within the University, meets
twice yearly to review proposed changes
in Institute policy and procedure and
make recommendations to the director.
Massey has been involved in outdoor
drama for some years, having been a
member of the cast of Unto These Hills at
Cherokee, NC, and later serving as assis-
tant general manager for Cross and Sword
in St. Augustine, FL.
Es Zi 4
William P. Massey
lIOD appoints advisory
council members
The Institute is pleased to announce the
appointment of William Ivey Long and
Samm-Art Williams to its Advisory
Council. Each will serve a two-year term,
effective September 1, 1990.
The twelve-member Advisory Council
does not hold formal meetings but indi-
vidual members are asked, from time to
time, for their ideas and expertise on par-
ticular matters of concern to the Institute.
Members are especially valuable in pro-
viding a further link to the world of the-
atre and to professional organizations.
William Ivey Long, costume de-
signer for The Lost Colony (Manteo, NC),
is a lony Award-winner for his designs in
the Broadway production of Nine. He re-
cently received his second �?~Tony Award
nomination for his costume design of
Lend Me a Tenor, also on Broadway.
Other credits include The Tap Dance
Kid, Smile, and The 1940s Radio Hour for
the Broadway stage, and the world
premieres Mass Appeal, Sister Mary Igna-
tius Explains It All For You, The Marriage
of Bette and Boo,and new works for
choreographers Paul �?~Taylor, Twyla
Tharp, David Parsons, Dan Wagoner and
Peter Martins.
A Yale School of Drama graduate, this
season was Long�?Ts 21st with The Lost Col-
ony, having been involved in the produc-
tion since the age of eight. His father,
William I. Long, was for many years tech-
nical director and director; his mother,
Mary Wood Long, played Queen Eliza-
beth for 10 years; brother Robert H. Long
was master electrician; and sister Laura
Anne Long is currently a member of the
choir.
Samm-Art Williams, a noted play-
wright and actor, has written for both
television and the stage, and is currently a
writer/producer for Orion Television. His
works for the stage include Break of Day
Arising, Brass Birds Don�?Tt Sing and Home,
for which he received the John Gassner
Award, the Audelco Award and a Tony
nomination.
Williams�?T television credits include
scripts for American Playhouse (PBS),
Frrank�?Ts Place (CBS), Cagney and Lacy
(CBS) and Mike Hammer (CBS). He
received an Emmy nomination for his
work with the variety special Motown Re-
turns to the Apollo.
As an actor, Williams has performed
extensively with the Negro Ensemble
Company. He has also appeared on screen
in such films as The Wanderers, Dress to Kill
and Night of the Juggler, and in the CBS
series, Frank�?Ts Place. (1
U.S. Outdoor Drama 7
28th Annual Managers, Directors and Promoters Conference on Outdoor Drama
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5 Dinner will be followed by a program of Cherokee culture,
legend, and tradition illustrating the unique relationship
4:00-5:30pm Season Reports | �?~
: 4 ; : between the community and the drama.
Holiday Inn Company representatives summarize the year�?Ts production |
activities and attendance. | :
MODERATOR: Scott Parker, Director, Institute of Outdoor edie ciate cay Rivertsinniene
Drama, Chapel Hill, NC Holiday Inn BALLADEER: Tim Pendleton, guitar/vocals
: HOST: The Cherokee Historical Association
6:00-7:00pm Welcome Reception |
Holiday Inn CO-HOSTS: Pete Raby, President, Omni Stage Lighting, | SUNDAY, OCTOBER 7
Raleigh, NC; Mark Lynch, President, Quality Sound and Video, 8:30-9-00am Coffee and Doughnuts
Fayetteville, NC :
| Holiday Inn
i mera poe SUT | 9:00-10:30am Seasonal and Year-Round Employee Benefits
y | Holiday Inn An exploration of commonly-offered benefits with special
8:30-10:00pm The Reach of Song emphasis on health insurance and skyrocketing premiums.
Cherokee H.S.
10:00pm
Holiday Inn
A conceptual presentation of Tom DeTitta�?Ts new historical
drama celebrating the heritage of Appalachian Georgia in
music, story, and dance. There will be time for questions and
answers following the performance.
Open House
CO-HOSTS: Pete Raby, Mark Lynch
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 6
8:30-9:00am
Holiday Inn
9:00am-12 noon
Mountainside
Coffee and Doughnuts
Tour: Mountainside Theatre and Support Facilities
Front-of-the-house, backstage, company housing (dormitories
10:30am-5:00pm
MODERATOR: Marion Waggoner, Producer/Artistic Director,
Tecumseh!, Chillicothe, OH
PARTICIPANTS: Jerry Coffelt, General Manager, The Shepherd
of the Hills, Branson, MO; Steve Stevenson, co-owner,
Anderson/Stevenson Insurance Co., Circleville, OH; Tedi
Vaughn, General Manager, The Jenny Wiley Story,
Prestonsburg, KY
Tour: Area Attractions (Dutch treat lunch)
Oconaluftee Indian Village; The Museum of the Cherokee;
Qualla Arts and Crafts Center; Pioneer Farmstead (Great
Smoky Mountains National Park)
HOST: Barry Hipps, General Manager, Unto These Hills,
Cherokee, NC
Theatre and cottages), dining facility, canteen theatre and new
administration building.
12:00-1:00pm Lunch in Company Dining Hall = ,
Mountainside A question and answer session about facilities and operations | Director of NEA Ss Theatre Program
Theatre of the drama.
MODERATOR: Barry Hipps, General Manager, Unto These Hills, | to attend Conference
Cherokee, NC ; , 3
PARTICIPANTS: Bill Hardy, Production Director, Unto These | | Jessica L. Andrews, Director of the Theatre Program for the
Hills; Peter Hardy, Artistic Director, Unto These Hills | National Endowment for the Arts, Washington, DC, will be a
1:30-3:00pm Open Forum: Planning and Developing a New Outdoor | special guest at the Institute of Outdoor Drama�?Ts 28th Annual
Holiday Inn Historical Drama | Managers, Directors and Promoters Conference, in Cherokee,
Key conta of Pict hipict we composing, fundraising, {| NC, October 5-7, 1990. Andrews will take part in the round-
amphitheatre design and production requirements. mi! Pg pers « ee U Secpee mean Tl MA fa) Me eg Aare
LOPERTOR: Rab BrtiGn, Director. Trumpet In the Land New table discussion, Ethics and Professional I heatre Practice, in
Philadelphia, OH which panel members will be presented with difficult ethical
PARTICIPANTS: Don Baker, Producer/Director, Lime Kiln situations and asked to consider possible courses of action.
Theatre, Inc., Lexington, VA; Carl Hayden, President, Mark Andrews�?T presence at this year�?Ts Conference will provide a
SEE ae enna Ds Je b. Mei, Mepaa tiene valuable opportunity for leaders of outdoor historical drama to
Consultant, Euless, TX; Melanie Patterson, General Manager, | : : - ° :
The Life and Times of Jesse James, Smithville, MO | meet ate sr the director of the NEA program which
represents their profession.
3:00-3:15pm Refreshments | I �?~ I ; : 4
Jessica L. Andrews was appointed Director of the Theatre
iron iho ci bpm ot adel hese || Program for the National Endowment for the Arts in January
Holiday Inn Unique format in which panel members are presented with | 99 �?~ ee io oe Di a Ret 1989 |
difficult ethical situations found in outdoor drama and asked I 0, alter serving as /Acting Director ee eee ep 89 anc :
to suggest courses of action. Assistant Director since October, 1987. Prior to joining the staff
MODERATOR: Dale Miller, Playwright/Director, The Battle of | of NEA, she was Managing Director of the Indiana Repertory
Mppecanoe, Battle Ground, IN _| Theatre (1985-87), where she eliminated the company�?Ts $1.5
PARTICIPANTS: Jessica Andrews, Director, Theatre Program, ar alt eae iedions five years. she wis Divecearof
National Endowment for the Arts, Washington, DC: John | milion debt. During the previous five years, she was Director o
Ahart, Founding Artistic Director/Principal Playwright, Your | the Theatre Division for FEDAPT, a national arts support or-
Obedient Servant, A. Lincoin, Petersburg, IL; Margaret || ganization. Prior to that, she was Managing Director of the
Bonamico, General Manager, Trumpet in the Land, New GeVa Theatre at Rochester, NY, and of the Hartford Stage
Philadelphia, OH; David Mills, General Manager, Viva El Paso!, | er 3
El Paso, TX; Randolph Umberger, Playwright, Strike at the | eee som ; a
Wind!, Pembroke, NC | Andrews has served on numerous advisory panels for NEA,
5:30-6:30pm n Minch _| including T heatre, Artistic Advancement, and Overview, as well
Holiday Inn HOST: The Cherokee Historical Association | as on theatre advisory panels in New York, New Jersey, Ohio,
me « « s ] �?~ . �?~ % « al a] . Pa
6:30-8:30pm Artic ette ine na Maawe | Indiana, and Michigan. She has been guest lecturer for Yale
Holiday Inn Smoked Trout, Bear Meat, Buffalo, and Venison; Indian University S Arts Management Program, and has taught theatre
Succotash, Bean Dumplings, Fried Cabbage, Corn Pudding, management at Indiana University-Purdue University at
Parsley Potatoes, Chestnut Bread; Blackberry Cobbler Indianapolis. C]
MASTER OF CEREMONIES: Bill Hardy, Production Director, |
Unto These Hills, Cherokee, NC
8 U.S. Outdoor Drama
Froggy comes
a courtin�?T
The annals of outdoor drama are
filled with �?~oft-repeated stories
involving stage-struck creatures
of the night who do their best to
outperform their human
counterparts. One of the most
vocal of these upstaging
thespians is the tiny tree frog
who, in large numbers, can
nearly drown out the most
raucous crowd scene on stage.
Managers have tried nearly
everything under the sun to
discourage them, but little seems
to work. That�?Ts because the
shrill, high-pitched croaking is
the sound of male frogs during
the breeding season. Most frogs
will breed in almost any area that
holds water, from shallow ponds
and marshy wetlands to water-
filled ditches.
So, there�?Ts not much people
can do to get rid of them. The
good news is that frogs eat in-
sects. The bad news is that in a
wet spring, the frog population
will jump...dramatically. 7
Freebies
The National Association for
the Exchange of Industrial Re-
sources administers a nationwide
program that gives away supplies
and equipment to non-profit
groups.
Founded in 1977, NAEIR
says that its roster of 7,000
members obtain an average of
$6,000 a year in new supplies.
The supplies come from
| American corporations which
donate their excess inventory to
earn federal tax breaks. Available
materials include clothing,
fabric, lighting fixtures, building
supplies, wall coverings, office
supplies, tools, hardware and
electrical fittings.
Member organizations pay
$555 annual dues, plus shipping
and handling costs for merchan-
dise selected from 500-page
quarterly catalogues. All first-
year members receive a money-
back guarantee.
So far, says NAEIR spokes-
man Jack Zavada, only two
dozen non-profit theatre compa-
nies have taken advantage of
these freebies. For information
contact: NAFIR, Dept. TA-1,
560 McClure Street, Galesburg,
IL 61401; 1-800-562-0955. C1
U.S. Outdoor Drama
Subscription Form
U.S. Outdoor Drama is published quarterly. To subscribe, send check or
money order for $12.00, payable to: The Institute of Outdoor Drama,
CB 3240 NCNB Plaza, UNC-CH, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3240.
James Farist will be among the cast who will perform at the
Annual Outdoor Drama Conference in Tom DeTitta�?Ts conceptual _
presentation of The Reach of Song, an Appalachian drama.
Address:
City: State/Zip:
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Enclosed: $ Date:
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The University of North Carolina
CB 3240 NCNB Plaza
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3240
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Chapel Hill, NC 27599-1110